The End

Thank you so much for following me my wonderful readers. I really hope you enjoyed all the posts that I did. I know from your comments that some made you laugh, some made you think and some made you sad. 

I have decided that its time to close my blog. Its the end of a story. 

Alot of you often ask...what happened with me and Mr Special...

Well

This is me.....

Take care all x 

Angel 

Ghosts & Spirits

Wow, blogging is time consuming, especially with two blogs but this one is about life and things so let me take off my natural head and talk about something totally different.

Ghosts & Spirits - Do you believe in them?

Recently I was chatting with some of my colleagues and we talked about this topic and it reminded me of two spooky experiences I had

The first was when I was about 11 living at home. It was late at night and I was fast asleep, I had a TV in my bedroom and suddenly it switched on. Power surge? To this day I don’t think so. The volume was turned up to the loudest point and it jolted me out of my sleep and my heart was beating really quickly. I stood up out of bed to run over and turn it off before anyone else in the house woke up and it switched off.  I didn’t have a remote control for that TV so it was not on standby. I stood there for a minute or two shaking and then I heard this knocking sound I looked over to the handles of my wardrobe and saw that they were swinging gently and knocking on the doors. That was enough, I grabbed my quilt and ran into my parents room, where I made a sleeping bag on the floor by the side of their bed and slept there until morning.

Nothing like that ever happened to me again, I do believe it was a Ghost.

The second – a much nicer experience happened to me when I was about 19 years old. I was living, working and studying in Chelmsford and times were hard, I was on my own and money was so tight My father had passed away a year before and things were not good. My family were struggling financially and not in a position to help me. My wages went on rent and living costs so all my food money came from tips at work. So if people did not tip me I did not eat (always tip your serving staff). Anyway one day I was walking down the street and I had it in my mind that I would go to the cash point and get £10. So I was walking remembering all the things I had to do including getting this money. Then suddenly the wind blew and a £10 note flew right into my face. It literally landed on my cheek.  It was the strangest thing to ever happen to me.  I looked all around and there was no one in the street, nowhere the money could have came from, it was so strange.

I believe that was a gift from my Daddy.

Has anything spooky every happened to you? 

Things I learnt this month.

So I did it, I did the thing that many bloggers do and I always watched them with awe but thought that will never be me, Yes I started a new blog

This is where I have been all month, have you missed my posts? Don’t worry, I am working on a balance between the two.

My new blog is called The Natural Lounge, When I decided to go natural I visited various websites and blogs all around the net to get more information on how to take care of my hair. One thing I found was that most of the ones on natural hair were based in the US.  It was really frustrating as I couldn’t get the products they talked about, couldn’t go to the meet-ups, and I couldn’t even visit their salons.

So The Natural Lounge is  just dealing with the UK naturals. I hope to profile lots of natural women around the UK finding out things like styling tips and product information of course you overseas sista's are welcome to stop by it would be nice to get some visitors. 

Its popular already and I have only just started. I am really pleased. You can click on the image to visit.

Its good because I can keep this Angel Cake blog free of hair stuff and I can talk about life and general things….hmmmm….speaking of general things, here are some of the key life lessons learnt this month alone...enjoy. 

• Leggings are not slimming and don’t suit everyone and really don’t suit obese people oh and sometimes you can see though them. 

• Black people are not the only ones with image problems – check out this photo which I took in Thailand

• British Summers will only ever be two weeks of sun. 

• You have a friend who is homeless, father to six kids and has five baby mothers, lives in his car and has no job.  If he tells you that that someone you both know really well is no good and pretty worthless, you have to try and believe them as they know a lot about being worthless

• Some people are not that organised, can’t take direction and hate to be managed or advised.  That’s why they are still in the same place they were five years ago, it is not your problem go past them and leave them behind. Some others are really just A**holes and will never change forget them too. 

• It really is possible to live with someone love to see the sight of them every morning and miss them when you are away from them even if you have just gone to work. 

• Bread is not my enemy – despite what the slimming mags say. 

• Dried apricots are though, never eat in large quantities (I learnt the hard way prior to July but then visited them again for some mad reason this month - never again!) 

• Listening to the actual lyrics of most new songs composed in the last two years and you will quickly realise that most of them are just talking rubbish.

• I can, do or be anything I want to. 

How are you all doing??? Did you learn any lessons in July?

Giving Makes me feel good.

In Thailand our hotel was amazing, we stayed at the Centara Grand Mirage (google it)  it was a five star luxury hotel. Mr Special chose well.  There were a couple of maids that cleaned our room each morning. They also dropped in with fresh water and fresh, if not funky looking fruit every day and every evening they came back to turn our bed down and put flowers on it.

One thing I liked is that they not only cleaned but kept the place tidy, if we threw clothes on the bed, we would return to find them folded up it was so sweet. Also one day we went out and left the room safe open and not only did we not find one thing missing one of the maids came and told us about it. They were lovely.

At some point during the holiday I decided to buy them earrings. I knew that they probably were not earning a lot, especially not enough to adorn themselves with jewellery so I thought it would be a nice gift. One morning when I saw the first maid I had them in my bag, I gave them to her and even though I knew she couldn’t understand a word of English I said to her “Thank you for cleaning my room” and did the Thai thank you (lotus hands) sign. She was very composed and bowed to me and then went into her little maid cleaning room. Mr Special said he heard some excited chatter coming from there straight after. I saw the other one in the afternoon and gave her a pair as well.

Do you know that for the rest of the holiday I didn’t see either maid without these earrings in their ears? They were SO grateful. They price that these earrings cost could never be more than the good feeling that I got every time I saw these maids.

Also just before I went to Thailand, I told the guy in the JA shop that I was going and he asked if I could bring him something small back, even if it’s only worth 50 pence. We got him a fridge magnet. I dropped it in to him today on the way home. When I popped in, he and his mum were there and they nearly started crying when I gave it to them. I know it sounds a bit over the top but I think it was really overwhelming that a stranger who doesn’t know them at all, went all the way to Thailand and brought them back a gift.

It gave me so much pleasure to see both the maids and the people in the JA shop so happy. Now I truly understand this quote.

"I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver" 
Maya Angelou 

 

Yeah no toilet paper, you got to use a hose...

Look how beautiful the wall was

Our room

 I want one of these in my own house

 The bed at night

Our fruit Bowl

The hotel had a pool bar you swam to

I used to sit on those yellow things and float around all day

We ordered room service and it came with a table and cocktails

Yeah I loved chilling in the pool area

This is the hotel lobby, Mr Special took this, my photography skills are not this advanced!

Beater Brown cant come in

So Chris Brown got his Visa denied to enter the country as he is guilty of a criminal offence. His assault on Rihanna last Feb. Who would have gone to that concert anyway? Who wants to listen to someone that sings all about love and then mashes up the person they are supposed to be loving??

Remember these photos?

To be honest I am glad, perhaps he will think twice before assaulting a woman again. It for once a good call by the home office, it’s a shame they don’t make this judgement on all the drug dealers, killers, ex prostitutes and pimps that come over here to sing music.

I Love Birthdays

I love birthdays

On my birthday this year (May 15^th) I opened my eyes to see my favourite person staring back at me. Mr Special kissed me a happy birthday and made it a good start to a great day.

When I opened his card it said “To My Wonderful Girlfriend, of all the things that I’ve heard said and all the words I know, the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard was when you said hello”.  With that he had drawn two stick people inside, one me and one him with salsa music in the background and I was saying “Pleased to meet you” it was lovely.  The day was nice and we went to lunch and did some shopping.

In the evening I went to dinner at Floridita with some friends. For those of you who are not London based it’s a beautiful Cuban restaurant with dinner and a live band. It was eventful to say the least but fun. After a few mojitos I was in very high spirits. We danced for a while but as my crew do not all do salsa we decided to slink off to another club.

At the other club, as I was walking in the bouncer on the door said to me “ID please?”  I couldn’t believe it and he was serious.  He thought that I was under 18. Let me tell you all now that this was a big birthday so when he said it I just threw my head back and LAUGHED. I didn’t even have a handbag let alone ID. Mr special had all the money and the keys and everything so I didn’t come out with anything at all. For a second I was worried and then I think because of my sheer amazed reaction the other bouncer said to him “just let her in mate”  Inside the club I danced all night and we didn’t get home until after 4am.

Today has been relaxing I have lots of flowers and cards at home and though the texts, voicemails phone calls and facebook messages I have felt the birthday love so thank you everyone.

Right now I’m, pretty tired so that’s why you are not getting a more descriptive story of the day and there are probably a few mistakes in the text but I want you all to know that that I’m contented and happy and really looking forward to the next year. Its going to be a huge journey….

Much love x 

It’s not a black thing - it’s a crap thing Part 1

Takeaways

When the new West Indian takeaway opened in my area a year ago I was beaming with pride. Judging by today’s behaviour, I doubt they really researched location, I think it was more luck that they found that spot. One of those chicken shops had just shut down and they took over it. It’s in a great location, right on the walk to the tube station it should catch commuters on their way to work and their way home. The food that I have had is really tasty and the prices are just right. Every time I visit I notice with delight how the food appeals to all, Asian, Indian, English, Irish in fact I have see all races in there. Sounds great right? It sounds like that’s the place to be.

Well let me tell you that this particular takeaway has the worst customer service you can ever imagine. I don’t know if they just don’t want to make any money and want to scare their customers away but it’s really bad. You walk in and you’d be lucky if you get greeted. In fact when you enter they almost look annoyed. Depending on who is on the counter expect no eye contact and when you place your order wait around 45 seconds for it to be acknowledged. Even when you order they may or may not have the food, even at lunchtime they may even say “it nah ready yet” or tell you that the cook hasn’t arrived. They also run out quite a lot of most of the things you want to eat, they never open before twelve missing all those commuters going to work who would gladly grab a little something for their journey to work or their lunch. By 10pm expect that most things would have run out.

I had the pleasure of calling them to find out if they could do food for a party. When they answered the phone they said “Yeah?” so to be honest I didn’t even know if I was calling the right place. They then told me to call back tomorrow three times and that they didn’t have the price?? I was not impressed.

When I mentioned this behaviour to a few friends around me they said “it’s just a black thing, that’s how all our takeaways run” well sorry but its not good enough, we need to come correct!

This is not an isolated incident although I wish it were, I have visited many black owned takeaway places, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Jamaican etc in all areas and sadly they are all are equally as bad. I don’t know what it’s like in other countries. The food is good in these places but everything else lets them down.

Also don’t they have some kind of a vision, don’t they ever want to be better than just a takeaway? Don’t they want to do more than just break even? Can the owner picture themselves in a Mercedes? Don’t they ever want the ability to replace that broken TV they have in the corner or fix the extractor fan so that the windows don’t all steam up and no one can see inside? It’s frustrating.

Around 15 mins away there is a fish and chip shop, go there anytime night or day and there is a queue coming out of the door, they have done so well that they have won awards and have now opened a restaurant next door. They never run out of food. They have even expanded to sell fresh uncooked fish to people. They venue is nice and clean and well tiled with plants and décor inside. It’s a place that you actually want to go. There is even seating in the waiting area.

Its 2010 is it not time that our takeaways fixed up?

I think I might retire…

Not from blogging, from netball, I haven’t played since my nose got all smashed in (Read here)
Although its pretty much healed I’m scared of it happening again. I know you shouldn’t live in fear and I’m sure you can find online a million quotes and reasons why I shouldn’t let this stop me playing something I love, I just can’t bring myself to do it. The longer I leave it the harder it is.

As with all sports you do get injured during my time as a netballer I have torn a ligament, fractured my fingers, twisted my ankle etc but this was my face…my nose and when the thing that you present to the world every day gets damaged you don’t really want to do that again. I can still remember the swelling and the pain I don’t want that to ever happen again.

There will always be a scar on my nose now (gutted) and I have a small lump inside that the hospital have said they can give me an operation to sort out, but I’m not interested in a nose operation.

I really enjoyed it and will miss playing but I wasn’t getting paid and to be honest I have to ask myself, is it worth it??

Would you go and still play?

at least I wont miss the rainy games

Ps I’m not ignoring the Haiti situation it’s just that I have found it very distressing and there are many other blogs about it so I’m going to leave it alone.

Snow Joke – we need to all fix up/help me save the planet.

One
It’s been snowing too long over here, I’m cold and getting very bored with it. I’m tried of slipping and sliding to work through ice and snow. We are in the middle of an unprecedented big freeze. The gritters have ran out of grit, the trains and tubes are up the creek, airports are closed and we don’t have enough snow ploughs because our government doesn’t invest in them. Who can blame them though? We haven’t had a winter like this in more than 40 years. We can’t cope and if you watch our ‘news’ all you are going to hear about is the snow.

Two
Then in Australia they had their hottest night in 108 years topping 34 degrees Celsius. The previous record of 30.6 degrees was set in February 1902!! Thousands of homes were without power as electricity companies' equipment failed in the heat, imagine trying to sleep in that?

Three
And now in Haiti, they had the Earthquake. Thousands are dead and the 7.0-magnitude quake, Haiti's worst in two centuries. If you want to help or donate please read Bajan Scent’s blog post entitled Earthquake in Haiti and how you can help.



I think the earth is going crazy, for those who don’t believe in global warming, aren’t these three examples of how the climate is changing? Melting glaciers induce tectonic activity that’s why we had the earthquake. We are going to see more of these extremes in weather over the next few years. With Global Warming and most of the animals that we love on the endangered list your children won’t have anything left?



I think we should all pledge to make one small change in lifestyle this year as we all need to fix up and start saving the planet. I know that when you do one small thing alone it doesn’t feel as if you are making a difference but as Margaret Mead said

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Here are three small things you could do. Please add to my list.

1. If you don’t already you could recycle, where I live it’s a real pain to do so but if I make one resolution this year (Remember I said I wasn’t making any) it will be that. I do a little but I could do more.
   
   
2. Men should stop spreading their seeds and stick to one baby mother not six and women should stick to one baby father not six…sorry totally different topic but this could also save the world.
   
   
3. You could take your own bags when shopping. Cut down on the plastic, I already do this. I’m off the hook
   
   

Blogger Meet Up's

Last year I was invited to many blogger meet ups. Every time they were on I always had other plans and unfortunately I never attended. Now new for 2010 I have an invite sitting in my gmail and it’s for a date that I am actually free. The problem is now I have gone shy (yeah I get shy sometimes) and suddenly I’m wondering ‘what are we meeting for again?’

I don’t have anything in common with the people I’m meeting apart from the fact that we all blog and I have far too many acquaintances in my phone book. I am a bit reluctant to add more.

So dear friends, I am asking you, have any of you ever attended a blogger meet up? (Ondo Lady I know you have) I want to know how did it benefit, do you recommend me going to one and why?

New Year is Coming, Im not resoluting...

At the start of the year I made a post with a list of 30 things that I wanted to do this year. As it is the eve of a new year I thought I would revisit them and see what I did and what I didn’t.

The strangest thing is, when looking at the list all the things that I wanted to do as the year went on things inside me changed and didn’t want to do those things anymore. I grew as a person; I learnt more, met different people and made new friends. In fact my whole life has changed since the start of 2009.

So in 2010 I think I’m just going to make a few goals for each quarter and that way I will achieve more. What do you think? are you planning on making resoultions?

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!!

I HOPE TO BLOG MORE NEXT YEAR!

*********************************************************************

Just out of interest, here is the link to the original post and what I wrote.

Angel's 30 Things...

1. Go to one of the places on a list

I went to Antigua instead.

2. Do something for charity

I collected some old books at work and sent them to Book Aid, I also visited a children’s hospital and took the children that would be in over Christmas, gifts from a collection.

3. Receive a handwritten letter

I got two and sent one, I need to fix up!

4. Go Rollerblading

I didn’t go, but I went Ice Skating

5. Host a Murder Mystery Evening

Hmmm I didn’t do this either but I will one day.

6. Decorate my Living Room

Mr Special moved in and now we are probably moving to somewhere even bigger so no need!

7. Go Paintballing

Hmmmmmmm why didn’t I do this? Any Londoners up for 2010??

8. Go on a girly Spa Day

LOL same response as above

9. Get a facial

I flopped I didn’t do this either

10. Go Ice Skating

Yeah I did this, and am going again on the 10^th Jan

11. Take a trip on the London Eye - You know in all the time I have lived here I have never been on it

Yeah Mr Special and I went, it was lovely.

12. Visit the opera

Nope didn’t go

13. Get a manicure & pedicure.

Yeah I went in my lunch break a few times and did this, it was lovely.

14. Go to the ballet

Yes I went to Black Ballet it was fantastic and totally recommend.

15. Run a 10k race

No I didn’t do this; instead I got fatter and fatter and ended up getting mashed up at netball! I joined the gym a couple of months ago and I’m back in training.

16. Go out clubbing on a 'school night'

Hmm, I cant remember if I did this or not.

17. Get a full body massage

I got hundreds from Mr Special, does that count?

18. Go for afternoon tea in the Rose Lounge at the Sofitel St James and hear the harpist play

No, lost interest!

19. Go to the Slavery Museum in Liverpool

Yes I went and really recommend you go. I wrote about it here

20. Go Strawberry picking

I didn’t go to this.

21. Go to Karaoke

Yes I went, it was fun!

22. Update my will

I haven’t but its in my intray.

23. Grow a herb garden

I grew Chives and Lavender, but the chives died, the lavender is still going strong, I need to try some more herbs.

24. Go with a large group to the movies

10 of us are going to see Avatar on the 6^th Feb at the Imax so I’m going to count this.

25. Go on a picnic

I went on quite a few in the summer, many times alone, I rode my bike to the park with my book and lunch and just chilled.

26 - 30 are really personal about self growth, development, mindset, forgiveness etc if I get them done I might tell them to you...

One of these goals was to visit my fathers grave, something I haven’t done since he was buried, I managed to do this, and I think I wrote about it here…

A Modern Day Love Story at Christmas.

I can’t really spend my life apologising for not blogging but I can’t help it, you see I'm in a love cocoon. All happy at home means that I don’t even visit blogger and it has been snowing over here, even more reason to snuggle with Mr Special.

Mr Special has moved in and things couldn’t be better. We are so happy it’s unreal.
I find myself praying a lot now as I’m so happy I’m afraid it will be taken away from me.

We have routines now, whoever cooks the other person washes the dishes and stuff like that. He cooks for me, wakes me up with kisses in the morning, gets me water when I’m thirsty in the night, massages my shoulders when I’m stressed, helps me take out my braids (yeah he even did that) he even lets me munch on those chocolates that I’m not supposed to have because it makes me fatter and then kisses the bits I think are fat. He is a darling. Just because he treats me well don’t take him for some weak guy, oh no, he is defiantly the man of the house, but I like it.

Then me, well….I also cook for him, peek at him in the shower, nibble his ears in bed in the morning, giggle when he grabs my breasts, do his washing, pedicure his toes (yeah I even did that) buy him the biscuits that I never would buy myself because they are overpriced and alone I would eat them in one go. Get in the bed before him and lie on his side so it’s warm when he arrives. Make him tea, smile when he arrives through the door, always ask about his day and more importantly listen to the answer.

Its good people!! It’s all good. Tomorrow it will be our first Christmas living together. We decorated our tree together and have been getting joint Christmas cards. Tomorrow morning I’m going to wake with him beside me, kiss him Happy Christmas and give him the gift I bought him.

Aawwww I’m happy, how are you doing?

Happy today....

Hey everyone, I hope you are all ok and glad you liked my picture of me as a little one. It was nice to hear what you guys did as children.

Anyway I write with joy today. Mr Special and I are (hopefully) be going to move in together before the end of the year!! Despite some negative opinions, I am so excited about it. People are worried we haven't been together long enough, or that if we move in together we will never get married and lots of things like that but to be honest I don't care. I know him, I love him and I'm happy if it's not meant to be at least let me enjoy this happiness we have had such a great journey.

His name is Andrew he is a year older than me, we met in 2007 on a Salsa boat cruise and became great friends. (hmmm perhaps I should write a post single ladies learn salsa lol). However, It was only in September 2008 that we decided to get together and I have loved every single moment. He has become my best friend and my supporter, he is of the only people in this world that I have full respect for. He has some amazing qualities such as integrity, commitment, intelligence, strength and courage. He is thoughtful, romantic and sexy, he has a great sense of humour and he is a fantastic cook. He really takes care of me and I couldn't ask for more only that I may be all those things to him. He makes sense of the world for me.

Comments? Questions?